


Honeybee

by coeurvolant



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24116620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coeurvolant/pseuds/coeurvolant
Summary: "Quite the restless little kitten, aren't you?" Tomoe almost smacked her head against the floor with how fast she swiveled to the side, surprised to find someone else awake."Oh, Kaoru." Tomoe whispered, lowering her voice so as not to disturb the others, "Sorry, did I wake you?""My body and mind can never be at peace, knowing that there is a distressed kitten nearby," Kaoru responded airily, "What ails you so?"
Relationships: Seta Kaoru/Udagawa Tomoe
Comments: 16
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

Tomoe let out a slow, shaky breath. Tonight was _supposed_ to have been a fun night. The theater club had been offered a far away venue to perform their latest production -a collaboration with the dance club to create an original musical. Their teachers were kind enough to allow both clubs to pursue the opportunity, resulting in an over the night field trip for the students. Naturally, when the performance ended, Kaoru and Maya decided to room with the band members from the dance club whom they were most familiar with.

  
What started as a night of fun, however, quickly turned into one of terror for Tomoe. Ako, being the young fan of the occult she was, suggested they watch a horror movie and take turns telling scary stories; a quick tinkering from the ever helpful Maya allowed them to take Lisa's tablet and hook it up to the projector to create a theater like experience for the group. Naturally, Ako wanted her big sister up front and center with her through the entire duration of the film; the redhead shooting the occasional pleading looks at an an apologetic Lisa who viewed half the movie through the gaps in her hands. 

  
After the horror movie, the group quickly wore themselves out until one by one they began to pile into the sleeping bags and blankets they had placed half-hazardously onto the ground. 

Tomoe turned her head to her direct right where Ako laid close by, slightly envious by how peacefully the younger girl was sleeping. Even Lisa, who had been in an almost catatonic state after the film, was fast asleep, likely due to the fact that she never clearly even saw any of the scary parts. 

  
Tomoe sighed again as she shifted herself in a vain attempt to get more comfortable -it would be a sleepless night for her.

  
"Quite the restless little kitten, aren't you?" Tomoe almost smacked her head onto the floor with how fast she swiveled to her other side, surprised to find someone else awake. 

"Oh, Kaoru." Tomoe whispered, lowering her voice so as not to disturb the others, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"My body and mind can never be at peace, knowing that there is a distressed kitten nearby," Kaoru responded, letting out her signature low chuckle, "What ails you so?"

Tomoe shifted again, this time onto her back as she stared at the ceiling, her head merely an inch away from the upperclassman's, "I'm just...not a huge fan of horror movies." She admitted, "I mean, when people look at me, they assume I'm brave about that kinda stuff and all. But to be honest, even Halloween still freaks me out sometimes." Although she had never been particularly close with Kaoru, a part of her always admired the older student for the aura of confidence she was always _oozing_ with. They were almost polar opposites in that manner -the more attention thrown the guitarist's way, the more she seemed to flourish. 

Tomoe, on the other hand, didn't know how to deal with being in the center of attention. Thanks to that, it resulted in many people making assumptions about her based on appearance rather than actually getting to know her. On most days, it didn't bother her much, but sometimes she _did_ wonder whether people cared to really get to know her on a more personal level. Perhaps that was why Kaoru was so easy to talk to, in this moment; it was one of the first times someone other than family or one of the Afterglow members had reached out to her.

"There is nothing shameful about being honest towards your fears," Kaoru told her, reaching a hand out to grasp Tomoe's with a comforting squeeze. "After all, when our actions do not, our fears do make us traitors." She continued with a rather suave smile.

Tomoe turned back towards the violet-haired girl, "I'm not sure what that means," She said honestly, eyebrows furrowed as she wondered whether she said something that indicated she was a traitor of sorts, "But what did _you_ think of the movie?" She asked curiously. Tomoe had heard from Hina and Ran that Kaoru was extremely courageous -exhibiting the instincts to protect those around her even when potential danger was most imminent. Ran had also said that she and Hina set out by themselves to explore Haneoka's Seven Mysteries as well; perhaps Kaoru wouldn't mind expending some of her tips. 

"Um...t-that is, I was so focused on the distress of our dear Lisa, I had not managed to grasp the plot of the film in its entirety." Kaoru said, her eyes shifting to the side.

"Oh," Tomoe said, looking a bit dejected for a moment, "But Kaoru, you must remember the part where the mistress found the hands in the floorboard? Or that creepy song that she kept singing?" She asked. While Tomoe absolutely loathed anything that had to do with horror, she found that it usually helped a lot when Ako discussed certain plot points with her afterwards. It felt better to address what _made_ something so scary to Tomoe.

"U-um..." Kaoru paled as the drummer continued to stare up earnestly at her, finding herself unable to keep up her facade any longer, "Um, Tomoe...the truth is...I do not fare well with the genre of the um...supernatural..." She trailed off, feeling the blood rush up to her face. 

Tomoe blinked widely at those words, a surprised "oh" slipping from her lips as she watched the older girl practically turtle in on herself. This was an unexpected side of Kaoru she had never known even _existed_ -someone who didn't hesitate to play villains or monsters while on stage, shared something so real with herself. It made her like the untouchable girl that much more. 

The moment of silence lasted only a few seconds longer before Kaoru felt herself enveloped by a warmth as Tomoe wrapped her arms around the guitarist, hugging her tightly. The red hue didn't leave Tomoe's face as she pulled away, still merely inches apart, "I just felt like that was hard for ya to say. And I appreciate it a lot." She said, pushing away loose strands of hair before grinning up at the other girl. 

Kaoru flushed harder, finding herself missing the warmth already, "O-of course. And if it _does_ provide you any comfort...I am always available for my little kittens to hold onto in times of need." She finished the sentence with an awkward cough, hoping she didn't make herself sound too obvious. 

Tomoe stifled a laugh at those words, although she did inch closer to the upperclassman. "Kaoru, you're not perhaps trying to get me closer because _you're_ scared, are you?" She teased, although she wasn't opposed to the idea in the very least. Growing up with the members of Afterglow and her own little sister, she was very accustomed to curling up with her friends when they would have their rather common sleepovers. Although she wasn't perhaps as close to Kaoru as she was with her other band members, she did think fondly of her. Kaoru had never been anything but kind to her, anyways. 

"How you jest, my little kitten," Kaoru said, growing redder by the second and honestly hoping she would sink into the floor and disappear off the face of earth completely, "But let us slumber -after all, we are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep." She finished, feeling her confidence grow back the slightest. Something about the fiery drummer always managed to throw her off her game a bit. 

Tomoe chuckled, wrapping her arms fully around Kaoru's midsection, "I don't suppose you care to explain that one either, do ya?" She muttered, yawning as she buried her face into the other girl's shoulder. Being the tallest member of Afterglow, she was more used to holding onto others; it felt nice being the one to be held for once. 

Tomoe felt the weariness and worries of the day's earlier events wash away as Kaoru's arms surrounded her, the warmth radiating throughout her being and securing her tightly -she could definitely get used to this. 

* * *

When Kaoru roused from her sleep, it was unfortunately not due to the singing of the birds outside, but a rather boisterous one from close by. "Ooh, it looks like Hello, Happy World! gained a new member," Hagumi exclaimed, peering over Kaoru's shoulder and shaking her excitedly. 

"What!" Ako shot straight up from Tomoe's other side, the redhead still surprisingly sound asleep despite all the noise, "If sis joins any group it's gotta be Roselia!" She huffed, pulling her blankets up against herself. She narrowed her eyes as she stared at the scene in front of her, almost as though she were trying to make sense of it, "But was sis _always_ this close with Kaoru? I guess it's only natural, since they're both so cool." She said to herself, shrugging. 

"O-of course, I am close with all my dear kittens," Kaoru said, gesturing elegantly with her free hand.

"Oookay, but big sis is a heavy sleeper and not a morning person," Ako warned her, "You get to wake her up then! Me and Lisa are gonna grab something to eat." She said, jumping up and stretching her arms before attaching herself to her bandmate.

"Oh! Me too! I want a croquette." Hagumi cheered, running out the room after the younger girl. 

Kaoru smiled uneasily at the company's retreating back, turning her attention back towards Tomoe's sleeping form once everyone had left. She pondered for a bit on how she would wake the slumbering girl -she _had_ played the prince in Haneoka's production of Sleeping Beauty once upon a time; perhaps she would swoop Tomoe into her arms, lift her up and wake her with a pressed kiss to her -

Kaoru hid her face into the blankets as she didn't dare to continue the thought -where did that come from, anyways? Tomoe stirred in her sleep, mumbling something incoherent about Moca and bread as she pulled Kaoru in closer to herself. The guitarist felt her face burn as Tomoe pressed her face into violet hair, muttering a quiet, "smells good" with a contented sigh. 

However, much as Kaoru enjoyed the moment, she felt a bit bad for allowing the girl to remain so off-guarded in her presence. She shook Tomoe gently, "My little kitten, it is time to wake up," She began, holding the other girl by the shoulders as she prepared her next lines, "Time is a storm in which we are all lost, and we must hasten lest we become any more stranded..." 

The redhead groaned sleepily, eyes still shut tightly despite the efforts of the guitarist. Kaoru shook her a little harder. She could only think of so many lines in the morning, "My little kitten, the sun shall set if you keep your eyes shut any longer. Please bless the day upon us and open those beautifully fleeting eyes for me, my dear." 

"You think my eyes are pretty?" Tomoe mumbled tiredly, letting out a loud yawn as her eyes fluttered open. 

"O-oh, you're awake, my princess." Kaoru stuttered, unable to help but stare as the girl in front of her stretched her arms leisurely. "Ah, that is -your eyes are as boundless as the ocean and twice as deep," She elaborated, pressing a hand against her face in something rather akin to embarrassment as Tomoe let out a hoarse chuckle.

"You say the funniest things sometimes." Tomoe replied, rubbing her face as she crawled into a sitting position. She yawned a few more times, patting her fiery hair down as she seemed to gather her thoughts with a pensive expression, "But Kaoru, to be honest, I used to be kinda intimidated by you." She continued, gathering her hair together into a ponytail as she spoke, "I feel like you're always so perfect and...I mean, everyone _loves_ you, so I was kinda scared to talk to you before." She paused, finally meeting the older girl's eyes sleepily as her hands began to wring themselves restlessly, "But I guess I can see why they do."

"I suppose you're falling for Haneoka's most popular prince," Kaoru stated dramatically, her mouth drying, "It's an incurable disease. So fleeting." It was that much easier for her to play a role rather than admit the truth. 

"I suppose I am." Tomoe said with a laugh as she got up, collecting her change of clothes from her bag, "Just promise not to tell anyone, 'kay?" 

Kaoru stared at her retreating back, mouth slightly agape. She had thought the younger girl was merely teasing her, but was she perhaps wrong? She sat in a stupor for several minutes, scratching her head occasionally as she tried to sort out the turbulent thoughts fighting within her mind. 

Maya popped up from the corner of the room, letting out a large gasp of air as she resurfaced from her burrow of blankets, face red and hair disheveled. She turned towards Kaoru, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she crawled forward at an alarmingly rapid pace, "Sooo...are you gonna, like, ask her out?" 


	2. Chapter 2

" _Kaooooru_!"

  
The crimson eyed girl lifted her eyes lazily as she looked up at the brunette standing directly in front of her, arms placed imposingly on her hips. "Kaoru, you've been so spacey since we got back from the field trip!" Maya exclaimed, "This is unlike you." She said with a frown, setting the script in her hands down. While she was typically a stage hand, she had been asked to read lines with Kaoru as their other lead was out sick -however, it was hardly an easy task to accomplish, seeing that the usually hardworking student would have that faraway look in her eyes every so often, shouting a quick _"line"_ whenever Maya caught her in the act. "You're not even on the right page..." The bespectacled girl further observed.

  
"Ah, my dear little kitten -I'm afraid my mind has been...quite fleeting as of late..." Kaoru responded, not even able to come up with a more elaborate excuse. It's not like it was a lie, though. Wherever she went these days, all she saw was flashes of red hair; beautiful and vibrant as the dawning sky when it met the horizon. She hadn't had a chance to talk, really _talk_ to Tomoe after the overnight trip, both being in different grades, clubs, and bands. The few opportunities they had to speak were getting slimmer by the moment, and she didn't know what to do about it.

  
It wasn't like Kaoru could casually stroll up to class 2-A and ask for a bit of Tomoe's time. At least not without having to give any bystanders any sort of explanation as to why -and Kaoru _always_ had bystanders. The older girl had actually gone as far as to try during lunchtime last week, but was unfortunately bombarded by the various other little kittens of second year who eagerly wanted her attention. She didn't mind it, of course; how could she when there were so many adoring and lovely ladies who vyed for her affections? But it was a tad bit frustrating, nonetheless. 

  
"Kaoru." Maya was now snapping her fingers impatiently, "Earth to Kaoru." She sighed in defeat as she pulled the other girl up from her desk, "Alright, I'm calling it for today." She said, pushing Kaoru out the door and into the hall.

  
"Of course. Where ever are we going, my dear little kitten? Are we perhaps strolling to the courtyard, where the ever-so fleeting scenery will better match our script?" 

  
Maya merely shook her head in exasperated response, "I am going to put my time to much better use. The lighting isn't proper yet for the conflict scene and your presence here isn't going to help me solve it."

  
"Oh." Kaoru realized with a start. She was being kicked out.

  
"Ah, Kaoru! Maya!" Lisa waved enthusiastically at the two from across the hall, quickly making her way over before Maya managed to slam the door completely shut, "Where you guys headed?" She asked, looking them up and down thoroughly.

  
"Nowhere." Maya stated bluntly, in the metaphorical sense.

  
"Well~ if you guys aren't busy, would you mind if I borrowed Kaoru for a sec?" She asked, grabbing the other arm of the theatrical student.

  
Maya immediately threw her hands up, nodding vigorously, "Please do. I've about had it with her today." She muttered, waving a quick goodbye before shutting the door completely this time. Kaoru's pride only felt a slight bit wounded as she instead focused her attention onto the remaining classmate.

  
“My princess -may I inquire as to why my services are being required thusly?” Kaoru asked, letting out a chuckle as she allowed herself to be pulled quite rapidly down the halls and towards the gymnasium. 

“We need someone tall to help with a dance routine.” Lisa responded, bobbing her head up and down to a rhythm only she heard. “You’re pretty good at lifting, aren’t ya?” She asked. 

“Of course,“ Kaoru replied immediately -she was more than accustomed to lifting her partners while in the leading roles she frequented; she was quite certain she could lift Lisa with ease as well. 

“Great.” Lisa clapped her hands together, greeting the rest of the dance club as she led Kaoru in. “Tomoe, we’re in luck~” she sang, pushing the violet haired girl towards the drummer, who was speaking quite animatedly with her younger sister in the moment. “I got the only taller girl in school for ya.” She said with a wink. 

“If it isn’t Kaoru.” Tomoe said with one of her large grins that the other girl found incredibly charming, “Think you can lift me?” She asked, a laugh bubbling up from her chest. 

“We can give it a shot if you don’t trust me.” Kaoru replied with a grin, holding her arms out as Tomoe took the cue to charge at her. Kaoru lifted her as said, finding the drummer a lot lighter than she had expected, despite her fit and rather tall stature -she dared to say that her other bandmate, Himari, likely weighed more. “You’re very light.” Kaoru blurted, masking the surprise in her own tone by bowing elegantly as she placed the girl back down, “Light as a feather, I say. For a moment, I thought gravity had ceased its magic, and I was in the air with you.” 

Tomoe laughed again at the older girl’s words, blushing as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind an ear, “You’re sure good with words.” 

“Oh, me too!! Kaoru _LIFT ME_!” Ako shrieked from the side, arms outstretched as Lisa held her back by her hoodie. 

“Ako, you’re with me!” Hagumi exclaimed, running up to the younger girl and grasping her hands as she spun her around, out of Lisa’s release, “We’ll have a blast!” Ako was about to let out a cry of protest before she became distracted by the other girl's antics, instead resolving to see how hard the two could spin before they both fell to the floor, quite disoriented and in their own world. 

“What about you, Lisa?” Kaoru asked the supposed dance instructor of the day, “Don’t you need a partner? I wouldn’t mind working with two lovely kittens.” 

Lisa laughed at those words, brushing them off as she waved her hand dismissively, “Nah, the truth is I gotta ditch early. Moca texted me an SOS, so you’re actually filling in for me as Tomoe’s partner today.” She clapped her hands together as she addressed the group, “Alright guys, sorry to run today! Keep practicing hard and I’ll see you all next week!” She let out a small cheer before running away, another ring from her phone indicating Moca’s impatience. 

Kaoru smiled at her partner for the day, lifting Tomoe’s hand as she pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it, “I’m afraid you’ll have to walk me through the routine, my little kitten. Our beautiful Lisa swept me away before providing me with much desired further details.” 

Tomoe blushed before grinning widely, pulling Kaoru with her to rest against the wall, “Hey, Ako and Hagumi! Can you guys run through the routine so Kaoru can see?” 

The other two eagerly responded back affirmatively, immediately running towards each other to begin the routine, their seemingly boundless energies matching each others’ movements quite perfectly. Despite the rather serene music that played from the speakers, Ako and Hagumi were anything but; at times even fiercely bobbing their heads up and down as they jumped away over the expanse of the room. 

“And then a dip!” Hagumi shouted, throwing Ako backwards until the twin-tails on the petite girl brushed the linoleum on the gymnasium floor. 

“Whoo whoo!” Ako cheered loudly, kicking her feet in the air before Hagumi threw her back up, catching her securely into her arms. 

“ _This_ is the routine the dance club practices?” Kaoru asked in bewilderment. She had originally believed that they would have been much more modern, judging by the tastes of the four members, and was surprised by the formality of the ballroom-esque movements she picked up -although they were more often than not greatly exaggerated during the performance of the two younger girls. 

“Nah, we usually do more modern stuff,” Tomoe confirmed Kaoru’s beliefs with a chuckle, “Lisa just got super inspired to do more...antiquated dance roles after the collab we had with you guys at the theater club.” 

“Ah, that makes sense.” Kaoru held out her hand at those words, “Shall we, then?” 

* * *

  
“Kaoru, for an actress you’re real stiff.” Tomoe laughed, spinning the older girl around as she spoke. She stifled another laugh to save the older girl's pride as Kaoru blushed after a misstep, stumbling rather awkwardly on the younger girl's toes.

“I-I don’t know the steps. I don’t want to trip on you again.” Kaoru stammered out the lie, hastily doing her best to follow Tomoe’s fluid movements. For an energetic drummer, she was surprisingly graceful as a dancer -but even with that said, under normal circumstances Kaoru would have had the upper hand. She had taken numerous ballroom classes in the past, and could easily waltz in five inch heels with her eyes closed. However, holding Tomoe's hand in one arm and bare waist in the other...it was something she was entirely unprepared for. Kaoru didn't even know where to look. 

“I don't know all the steps either. I just make ‘em up sometimes.” Tomoe said with a wink, spinning around Kaoru’s extended arm. “Come on! Show me your moves.” 

“Alright then.” Kaoru responded, returning the smile as she twirled Tomoe towards herself, dipping her backwards and following through with the younger girl's movements until their faces were merely inches apart. It was her turn to smirk as Tomoe's face turned a rather bright shade of red, holding tightly onto the front of Kaoru's shirt as she was slowly lifted back up.

"N-nice one." Tomoe stuttered, "Figures that's the one move from Hagumi and Ako that you managed to execute perfectly."

"What can I say? You inspire me, my kitten." Kaoru said. "You're quite the natural dancer, if I do say so myself."

"You think?" Tomoe asked, her lips quirking upwards, "You're not so bad yourself. When you're not steppin' on your own toes." She joked, the two remaining silence for several seconds as the older girl continued to stare down at her feet rather than meeting the gaze of the drummer. Tomoe tilted her head to the side, squeezing Kaoru's hand as the two spun around, "But Kaoru, you're looking pretty distracted today. Something on your mind?" She asked conversationally, her mind admittedly wandering back to the casual confession she had made all those days ago. She still hadn't received a proper response and wasn't sure whether she needed to be a bit more straightforward with her feelings towards the other girl -Kaoru _did_ seem like someone who liked to have their head in the clouds often. For all she knew, the intent of the message could have completely slipped.

The upperclassman merely hummed in response, unsure of exactly what to say. That Tomoe's shirt was kind of low and a bit see-through? That she felt her hand burn every time she brushed against the other girl's skin? Or perhaps what Maya had been mercilessly pressuring her to do: to reject or confirm her own feelings towards Tomoe, citing that it was incredibly unfair to leave things unresolved. Before she could manage another coherent thought, the two were interrupted by Hagumi, who coughed rather politely.

"They're locking the gym up real soon, so we gotta get outta here!" The short haired girl said, Ako running out from behind her and immediately attaching herself to Tomoe.

"Oh, yeah of course." Tomoe patted Aiko's head reflexively, smiling up at Kaoru, "Time passes by when you're having fun, huh?" She said a hint of disappointment on her face. Before Kaoru could respond, the other girl was promptly dragged across the gym by her younger sister, a quick shout of goodbye the last words between the two.

Kaoru watched her with a slight frown upon her features, realizing she had missed her chance to talk to Tomoe once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i changed the title to a better one (it's a song by the head and the heart and what inspired this fic tbh !!) ; u ;  
> also a whole lotta nothing happens bc i had to save it for the last chapter screams   
> more sorries bc i don't read things through before i post them either which i shouldddd


	3. Chapter 3

"Is this about Tomoe?" Kaoru lifted her head at those words, suddenly fully alert as she met Maya's disappointed gaze. "You're not for real, are you?" The brunette asked, pulling up a chair as she took a seat across from the other girl. " _You_ like her. I can tell. And she _clearly_ likes you. So what's the problem?!" She asked, frustration clear in her dark eyes.

Kaoru merely slumped lifelessly back over her desk, her long discarded script dropping to the ground as the other theater club students murmured amongst themselves, pondering what illness had come over their beloved star. 

Yes, maybe Kaoru was being childish, throwing a tantrum right now -it had been a good week since she had last danced or spoken with Tomoe, and she was rightfully glum. The more distanced the two were, the more she thought about the fiery drummer, wondering if someone else would run to confess to her instead if Kaoru were to delay her own response for any longer. 

Whoever said that absence makes the heart grow fonder clearly had never experienced love before -the lack of contact was driving Kaoru mad, to the point where she was all but ready to admit her feelings to everyone through the loudspeaker system at school. She considered that possibility for a minute - _just_ a minute before she discarded the thought, shaking her head helplessly. If _that_ happened and Tomoe rejected her or said that she changed her mind, Kaoru would absolutely have to transfer schools. Maybe even move to France. 

"Alright, we're taking a walk." Maya announced loudly to the rest of the theater club members, quite literally dragging a despondent Kaoru out of her chair as she marched the other girl out of the room and down the stairs. 

Kaoru's mind barely registered the change in scenery, still caught up on the possible methods of rejection Tomoe would use as she tried to strengthen her resolve and come up with a plan to put all her cards out there. What if she carefully crafted an elaborate play in which she would _somehow_ recruit Tomoe to play the other part, then confess on stage? If that was a bust, she could always play it off and say that it was part of the play...but then again, Tomoe probably wouldn't take the confession seriously in the first place. Or worse, she would think that she was being toyed with.

"Ah, woe is me!" Kaoru cried out dramatically as Maya came to an abrupt stop, holding Kaoru's arm tightly to her side as the taller girl fell forward. Kaoru blinked several times, looking around in confusion, "My dear Maya, where are we...?" She asked, the words slipping out of her mouth as the door slid open, revealing a disgruntled looking Ran.

The Afterglow vocalist did not appear particularly amused at having her exit blocked by the two taller figures, her usual companion Moca hanging onto her crossed arms as she lifted a questioning brow.

"Hi Ran." Maya greeted, "We gotta talk to Tomoe. Is that alright?" She asked, eyeing Moca warily as the girl started consuming two pieces of melonpan at an inhuman pace.

Ran shrugged, "That's none of my business." She said, moving to allow the older girls to pass through as she continued to watch on curiously.

"Wow, look at how popular Tomoe is." Moca hooted from behind, "Due to supply and demand, we'll now be requesting a fare to speak to Afterglow's esteemed drummer~" She drawled, before getting elbowed by an annoyed looking Ran.

"We'll go on ahead." Ran clarified, dragging Moca out the door after herself. Maya nodded -while the other girl was quick to catch on to the situation, she had to make several gestures at Kaoru before Tsugumi quickly rose form her seat as well, holding tightly onto the hand of a rather reluctant Himari.

"W-we'll leave first then!" Tsugumi yelled loudly at Tomoe, red-faced as she pushed her bandmate out the room with her, making sure to close the door _tightly_.

To say Tomoe looked perturbed would have been an understatement -the poor girl had just finished gathered up her schoolwork and was now looking puzzledly at the group remaining, "Can I help you guys?" She asked politely, shouldering her bag as she looked back and forth between the two. She clearly didn't enjoy being ditched by her entire band, her brows furrowed together as she glanced at her phone, wondering whether there was an event of sorts that she hadn't been informed of. 

Kaoru opened and closed her mouth, finally lowering her head and finding that she was unable to meet the other girl's gaze. She resolved to look helplessly at Maya instead, giving her a silent plea for guidance.

"I'm good. Kaoru wants to talk to you though." Maya responded, refusing to offer the other girl any further aid whatsoever.

"Okay." Tomoe responded easily, "What's up?" She asked, taking a seat on the edge of her window sided desk.

"Well, I'm gonna be on my way then. I only tagged along just now because we were going the same way." Maya lied, nudging at the violet haired girl. "See you guys." She called, before slamming the door behind herself as well. 

"Cool, what can I do for you, Kaoru?" Tomoe repeated, flashing the older girl a grin. 

Kaoru could feel a flush rise to her cheeks, suddenly nervous now that they were completely alone. It was definitely easier for her to play a role when there was someone nearby -anyone, really. But herself, alone with the girl she liked, and her _very_ chaotic thoughts at the moment; it wasn't a position she was entirely ready to be in. 

"Are you okay?" Tomoe asked, concern in her eyes as she touched the upperclassman's arm with an hesitant hand.

Kaoru blinked rapidly as she tried to form the proper words that were going through her mind, "Um, yes my dear Tomoe -just suddenly feeling a bit faint, is all. Nothing to worry about." She assured her, pulling up a chair and taking a seat below the drummer, "I apologize, it may just take a moment to sort through my thoughts. I'm not very...good at this." She admitted, averting her gaze.

"Oh, alright." Tomoe merely said, swinging her feet as she waited patiently for the older girl to speak up again. When nothing happened, her carefree expression faltered, her hands gripping the edge of her desk tightly as though realization had suddenly dawned upon her. " _Oh_. I know what you're going to say." She finally said with a sigh, a sad look on her face as she glanced to the side. "It's okay, Kaoru. I get it." 

Kaoru lifted her head in surprise, her first reaction wondering whether Maya had perhaps mentioned her feelings for the other girl. Kaoru was well aware that up to this moment, she had been anything but clear to the poor girl she liked -while a part of her would have been grateful if her emotions were already made clear for her, the other part felt a bit robbed. 

But then again, Tomoe looked a bit...disappointed...

Kaoru froze up as she pondered a second thought -that Tomoe _had_ realized Kaoru liked her, and realized she did not like her back. After all, what Kaoru had considered to be her confession was really an offhanded comment. Maybe she was just being polite, or stroking Kaoru's ego as the Prince of Haneoka. 

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault." Kaoru blurted, upset she had placed Tomoe in this position in the first place, and even moreso that she would probably never be able to confess her own feelings at this point. How could she, knowing they were entirely unrequited? While Kaoru did indeed received many confessions in her lifetime, she had never openly accepted one or ever proclaimed her own growing affection for someone else; she never would have guessed that expressing your love, with the fear of being rejected would be so difficult. And _painful_. Kaoru had a newfound respect for her little kittens. 

"No, no...I'm the one who should be sorry for putting this on you, that's on me." Tomoe quickly responded, rubbing her eyes somewhat aggravatedly as she stood up, "I just...I didn't think you'd think that much of it, you know?" 

"Oh, um." Kaoru was at a loss for words. She honestly didn't realize Tomoe would be so upset by this entire ordeal. It wasn't as though _she_ were the one being rejected.

"I'm okay though!" Tomoe exclaimed all of a sudden, looking anything but as the first tears escaped from the corners of her eyes, "It's just been a long day, and not gonna lie, this wasn't the way I saw it ending, haha." She said, her usual exuberant laugh replaced with a weak shadow of one. "It's silly of me, isn't it?" She asked, "Thinking someone like you could ever like someone like me?"

Kaoru smiled sadly at her before the words began to register in her heartbroken mind. _Someone like_ you _could ever like someone like_ me. She gaped at the other girl, who was now crying quietly with her hand covering her mouth. Even in all her sadness, she was too polite to leave. Kaoru felt her fondness grow by a tenfold as she jumped up from her seat, the chair falling back from the force of her movements.

Her vigor returned to her full force as she grabbed hold of Tomoe's wrist gently. "My dear Tomoe, you left me in the darkness with your dialogue -only now, does the context dawn upon me in comprehension." She said, shakily placing her hands onto either sides of Tomoe's face as she wiped away the drummer's tears with careful thumbs, "I spent the last several weeks in quite a turmoil, trying to think of ways in which I would respond to your confession -thankfully, Maya quite literally dragged me here today so that I could finally speak to you myself." Kaoru wanted to laugh at herself as she leaned down to fully embrace the girl, "I wanted to let you know that I reciprocated your feelings. But as someone who received so many confessions, I seemed to have trouble vocalizing my own...I like you, Tomoe, I really do. I just wasn't sure whether you actually liked _me_." 

There was a long moment of silence before Tomoe pulled back, tears still flowing steadily as she sniffed loudly, "Shut up." She blurted, looking more embarrassed as she did so.

"I-I will say it as many times as it takes for you to accept it!" Kaoru exclaimed back, her emotions spurred on by the sadness in the other girl's expression, "I really like you, Tomoe Udagawa! If everyone else is a little kitten then you are my lioness! If I call them princesses then you are the queen!" She proclaimed, her own face reddening as she tried to block out her own words. Was she always this cliche? How did someone as badass as Tomoe like her, anyways? "If van Gogh declared his love by procuring his ear as a token then I shall give you my heart!" 

"Please stop talking!" Tomoe groaned, laughter mixed with her tears as she threw her arms around the other girl's neck. "I get it, I believe you." She said, her voice muffled as she buried her face into Kaoru's neck. When she finally lifted her head, her teal eyes were still watery, but was now accompanied by her signature grin. Kaoru couldn't help but lean in, kissing the edge of the younger girl's mouth as she marveled at how beautiful the girl in her arms was, and how entirely lucky she was. 

"I like you too." Tomoe said, retaliating by leaning upwards and pressing a shy, feather light kiss on the upperclassman's nose. She let out a small laugh at the surprised furrow of brows Kaoru had on her face when she pulled back.

"Your tears must have blurred your vision, for you seem to have quite clearly missed your mark." Kaoru joked, bringing up a hand to brush against the other girl's hair and tuck it behind her ear. Tomoe blushed furiously at her words, but leaned upwards as Kaoru tilted her chin back with a gentle hand, her fingers sliding across the other girl's jawline until they rested at the nape of her neck, "But fret not, my princess, for your prince has arrived." Tomoe's cheeks glowed as Kaoru captured her lips into a full kiss, the drummer bringing her arms to wrap securely around the other girl's shoulders as they remained each other's warmth for several moments before finally parting. 

Tomoe rested her forehead against Kaoru's, letting out a shaky sigh as she stared up at the other girl defiantly, "I can't believe you made me cry over all that." She mumbled. "...but if you give me another kiss I'll forgive ya."

"That sounds fair." Kaoru agreed, smiling widely as she leaned in once more.

* * *

"Wow, they're _really_ going at it~" Moca remarked, mashing the shutter button on her phone as she rapidly snapped whatever pictures she could from view of the second story classroom window. Ran had both hands covering her reddened face as she squatted below the tree the Afterglow members hid under, muttering several incoherent words. "It's too much for Ran's virgin eyes." Moca explained to Maya, her fingers resting for the moment as she instead let the record button do all the work.

"I...gotta go..." Maya said for the third time in the past several minutes, finding herself quite boxed in by the four Afterglow members as she tried to avert her eyes. While she was very much happy that Kaoru finally took initiative, it had not been her plan to spy on them -she had only stayed afterwards because Moca had _insisted_ that Kaoru needed to have someone there for her in case she got rejected. It was her own fault, really, for thinking the other girl didn't have an ulterior motive.

"I can't believe...Tomoe never said anything to me!" Himari was sniffling loudly, gripping onto Moca's shoulder as she didn't seem to be able to make up her mind between watching through the camera phone or window. "I'm her best friend, you know? _I_ should be in there with her, holding her hand while she has her first kiss." She wailed, now fully sobbing into her hands.

"Uhm, Himari...I don't think that would be what she would want..." Tsugumi said meekly, attempting to console the other girl, while smiling apologetically at a rather bewildered Maya.

"Yeah, it's hardly her first kiss anymore, anyways." Moca continued. "But I hope they come down soon. Moca's phone is running out of space." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg i finished it   
> this must be the first multi-chapter fic i've ever finished thank god  
> i came up w a bunch of different scenarios before i settled on this one as the ending so sorry if it reads awkwardly // was a bit rushed ; m ;
> 
> *crawls away to play bandori now*

**Author's Note:**

> *picks the least creative title*  
> i play a lot of bandori but i don't watch the anime and only recently started shipping kaotomo *hides my face*  
> writing kaoru is difficult asf


End file.
